A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wayfinding, and, more particularly to a computer-implemented system and method for wayfinding.
B. Description of the Related Art
When people are in unfamiliar environments (e.g., a building, a group of buildings, a campus, airport, etc.), they need to know where they are in the environment, the layout of the environment, and the location of their destination in order to formulate the best route to the destination. En route to their destinations, people are helped by physical wayfinding systems.
Wayfinding is essential in today's society. The term “wayfinding” was first used in 1960 by Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City, where he referred to maps, street numbers, directional signs and other elements as “wayfinding” devices. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0013189 A1 describes a hierarchical wayfinding system that is based solely upon signs or “signage.”
Most conventional wayfinding systems implement some form of physical signage. This entails installing physical signs throughout locations of an environment and/or providing maps to guide individuals through an environment. Faulty sign detection can cause navigation problems in unfamiliar environments. Some signs lack visibility because letters are illegible when viewed from a distance. Some signs contain inaccurate, ambiguous, outdated, or unfamiliar information. Other signs are obscured or contain reflective surfaces, which hinder comprehension. Furthermore, much of the American population is either functionally illiterate or does not speak English. Consequently, many people don't read signs and it is often easier to ask for directions.
Conventional physical wayfinding systems are useful only if they are kept current. For example, floor plans or buildings, locations of offices, departments etc. all periodically change. Thus, an outdated wayfinding system would guide people through and to locations that may no longer exist. Unfortunately, the cost of keeping physical wayfinding systems current may be great. For example, signage may need to be physically removed, replaced, or eliminated, and, in the worst case, the entire wayfinding system may need to be redesigned.
The costs for providing verbal directions may be astronomical for a business. For instance, hospital personnel estimate that they spend a considerable amount of their time giving directions to people, which translates into lost work time for these people, time which could be spent saving lives or performing other tasks necessary for a functioning hospital.
Thus there is a need in the art to provide a wayfinding system that communicates in multiple languages and without languages, may be updated inexpensively and quickly, and provides easy to use directions in any environment.